Jean-François Boyer (12 March 1675 in Paris – 20 August 1755 in

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...

), was a French bishop, best known for having been a vehement opponent of

Jansenism Jansenism was a 17th- and 18th-century Christian theology, theological movement within Roman Catholicism, primarily active in Kingdom of France, France, which arose as an attempt to reconcile the theological concepts of Free will in theology, f ...

and the Philosophe school.

Life

Boyer was a preacher, and the bishop of Mirepoix, Ariège from 1730 to 1736. In 1735 he was tutor to Louis, Dauphin of France, and in 1743 he was head chaplain to

Maria Josepha of Saxony, Dauphine of France Maria Josepha of Saxony (Maria Josepha Karolina Eleonore Franziska Xaveria; 4 November 1731 - 13 March 1767) was Dauphine of France through her marriage to Louis, Dauphin of France (1729-1765), Louis, the son and heir of Louis XV. Marie Josèphe ...

. In 1736 Boyer was elected a member of the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

, in 1738 to the

French Academy of Sciences The French Academy of Sciences (, ) is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French Scientific method, scientific research. It was at the forefron ...

, and in 1741 to the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres. Boyer had several

benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...

s by royal appointment. According to Evelyne Lever, the favorite royal biographer, during the Jubilee Year of 1750 Pope Benedict XIV Boyer tried unsuccessfully to break the relationship between the King and the

Marquise de Pompadour Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour (, ; 29 December 1721 – 15 April 1764), commonly known as Madame de Pompadour, was a member of the French Royal court, court. She was the official maîtresse-en-titre, chief mistress of King Lou ...

. Boyer promulgated the "Statements of Confession" that the faithful had to sign to show their compliance with

Pope Clement XI Pope Clement XI (; ; ; 23 July 1649 – 19 March 1721), born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721. Clement XI was a patron of the arts an ...

Unigenitus ''Unigenitus'' (named for its Latin opening words ''Unigenitus Dei Filius'', or "Only-begotten Son of God") is an apostolic constitution in the form of a papal bull promulgated by Pope Clement XI in 1713. It opened the final phase of the Janse ...

Bull, and to be entitled to receive the sacrament. This caused an outcry in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. As bishop of the Ancient Diocese of Mirepoix Boyer also hounded the Philosophe school. In 1743, he plotted against

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778), known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' Voltaire (, ; ), was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, philosopher (''philosophe''), satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit ...

at the Académie française, when he ran for the seat vacated by Cardinal de Fleury. In 1751, Boyer set the King's mind against the editors of the ''

Encyclopédie , better known as ''Encyclopédie'' (), was a general encyclopedia published in France between 1751 and 1772, with later supplements, revised editions, and translations. It had many writers, known as the Encyclopédistes. It was edited by Denis ...

'' and his machinations caused their articles to be monitored and censored. But he failed in his goal of suppressing the undertaking completely.

, who also commented on other matters in which Boyer was involved, wrote: But Boyer's eloquence was appreciated by some of his contemporaries, as Charles Le Beau recorded:

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyer 1675 births 1755 deaths Bishops of Mirepoix Members of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres Members of the Académie Française Members of the French Academy of Sciences Clergy from Paris